For Clients

If you want help from Veterans Legal Services

VLS services are professional, confidential and free-of-charge. We are an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is not part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or any other government agency.

Have you served in the military and think you need legal help?

Call the VLS office at 857-317-4474. A VLS staff member or volunteer will speak with you to determine if you are eligible for VLS services. If you are not eligible for VLS services, the VLS representative will provide you with a referral.

If you are eligible for VLS services, the VLS staff member or volunteer will tell you the times and locations of our upcoming legal clinics. These clinics are also listed on the calendar page. VLS does not provide legal advice over the phone. You will be required to come meet with VLS in person at one of these legal clinics in order for VLS to determine if it is able to assist you. Please bring any paperwork related to your legal problem.

What happens at the legal clinic? In most cases, you will be interviewed by two volunteers who are trained by VLS. The interviewers will take down information about your case so they can discuss it with our on-site supervising attorney. From there, VLS will provide you with information about what assistance VLS is able to provide.

How do you know if you are eligible for VLS services?

You must have served in the United States military (any discharge status);

You must be low income (see chart below);

You must meet with VLS at one of its clinic sites;

Your case must be in VLS’s geographic area (Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, or Suffolk counties); and

VLS must have expertise on your case subject matter. VLS is general practice, however it does not provide services on criminal defense matters, Department of Children & Families cases, personal injury cases, or medical malpractice cases.

How do you know if you are “low income” for VLS purposes?

Low income means your income cannot be higher than 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Consult this chart to see if your income qualifies:

# in Household

(Including dependents for whom you pay support)

Annual / Monthly / Weekly Gross Income Limit

1

$23,760 / $1,980 / $457

2

$32,040 / $2,670 / $617

3

$40,320 / $3,360 / $776

4

$48,600 / $4,050 / $935

5

$56,880 / $4,740 / $1,095

If your income exceeds the above, or if you have a case outside of VLS’s geographic or subject matter areas, we still encourage you to call our office at 857-317-4474 and we will provide referrals to try to connect you with the help you need.